Helect Infrared Thermometer Gun In-depth Review
The Helect is a decent infrared thermometer for the price. Although it lacks many features and doesn’t have the best design, it makes it up by having an accurate IR sensor.
Overall Verdict
The Helect infrared thermometer's good IR sensor produced fairly accurate and reliable temperature readings throughout our performance test. The Helect achieved one of the highest scores on the hot test with cooking oil and didn’t do half bad on the cold test, either.
However, the thermometer's design and usability leave much to be desired. It notably feels very cheap and has an awkward grip section. The thermometer also lacks many measurement modes that other models in the same price range have, limiting its usability greatly.
But all things considered, for the price, the Helect should still make for a good purchase if you’re looking for a good infrared thermometer on a budget.
Things We Like
- Affordable
- Accurate IR sensor that produces very good readings
- Decent build quality
- Bright, single-dot laser emitter
- Loud speakers
Things We Don’t Like
- The thermometer itself feels quite cheap
- Lacks many measurement modes
- The display panel is dim
With over 20,000 positive ratings on Amazon, the Helect infrared thermometer is among the most popular. According to most reviews, the Helect is a favorite among consumers for its high accuracy, with a claimed error tolerance of ±1.5°F. Its broad temperature range of -58 to 1,022°F also makes it a versatile choice for anyone, from home cooks to engineers.
But is it really as good as the reviews have made it out to be?
You can read our full test report below!
8.1 Performance
Performance-wise, the Helect exceeded our initial expectations. It scored very well in the cooking oil test and also achieved a fairly respectable score in the ice-bath test portion.
7.5 Cold Test with Ice
The Helect produced a very good temperature reading at a distance of 12 inches away from the surface of the ice bath and well within the claimed ±2°F error tolerance. And from a distance of 16 inches, the temperature is off by 2.5°F, only 0.5°F above the error tolerance.
According to our benchmark, the Helect gets a decent average score of 8.05. But when accounting for the difference between the temperature readings at two distances, the total score that the Helect gets for this section is down to 7.45 out of 10.
This isn’t a bad score per se and is comparable to other infrared thermometers in our database, like the Etekcity Lasergrip 1080. But many other IR thermometers performed vastly better in the ice test than the Helect, such as the Wintact thermometer, with a total score of 8.55 out of 10.
8.4 Hot Test with Cooking Oil
Once the oil has been heated to 361°F and stabilized, we put the Helect thermometer to the test. At a distance of 12 inches from the oil’s surface, we received a reading of 367.5°F. And at a distance of 16 inches, the reading was 361.6°F.
Our benchmark gives the Helect an average score of 9.22. However, due to the huge difference between readings, we had to cut back the score accordingly. With a stability variable 0.78, the Helect gets a total score of 8.45 out of 10.
That’s still a very good score! In fact, the Helect has one of the best scores in the hot test, with only the Klein Tools IR1 having a higher score in this section.
8.0 Design
The Helect infrared thermometer is an average product with a budget feel due to its cheap finishing. It has a solid build quality, weighs only 5.73 ounces, and comes with a 1.25-inch backlit LCD screen. The laser emitter has decent brightness and a single-dot pattern. The thermometer uses a 9V battery that's included in the box.
Overall, it's a functional thermometer for its price range. However, its limitations may make it unsuitable for some people.
In the Box
A user manual booklet and a card containing the manufacturer's contact information are folded neatly behind it.
Dimensions
The Helect infrared thermometer is about average compared to other infrared thermometers we have in the database.
With the battery installed, the whole thing weighs only 5.73 ounces. Most people will have no problem holding and using it in one hand for long periods.
8.0 Build Quality
The build quality is solid, with all the details looking and feeling solid. Our only issue with the build quality is that the finishing feels very cheap. When you first pick it up, there’s no mistaking that the Helect is a very budget infrared thermometer.
9.0 Laser Emitter
The laser emits a single-dot pattern and can be switched on and off through a button at the back. The laser has very good brightness. The dot can be tracked even under harsh studio lighting.
7.0 Display Panel
The Helect comes with a backlit LCD screen at the back. The screen measures 1.25 inches across. You can switch on or off the backlighting through a button on the control panel underneath the screen if you work in a space with limited lighting.
By itself, the screen is very dim and hard to read. The screen may be hard to read at an angle, as well.
Battery Compartment
The Helect infrared thermometer uses a 9V battery already included in the box. You only need to install it per the instructions in the battery compartment.
5.3 Usability
The handling experience is rated as "passable" due to the curved grip being uncomfortable for people with small hands. Its usability score is also greatly impacted by its lack of measurement modes. Fortunately, the Helect does come with a loud speaker that beeps when the thermometer has finished scanning.
7.5 Handling
The handling experience of our reviewer with the Helect is rated as “passable.” The manufacturer made the thermometer with a molded, curved grip to make it more comfortable for the user to hold onto it. However, the curve in the grip may have the opposite effect for people with small hands, such as our reviewer. The grip's bulbous shape makes the gripping feel awkward rather than comfortable.
0.0 Measurement Modes
This is one of the major drawbacks of the Helect infrared thermometer. It doesn’t come with any measurement mode.
8.0 Audio Cues
The Helect comes with a speaker and gives off a loud beep when the temperature scan is completed.